CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – It took three years and three different coaches and GMs, but Baker Mayfield has been able to help resurrect the Browns and return them to relevance.
With the franchise coming off its first playoff season in nearly two decades and most successful campaign in over a quarter century, the focus off the field is on contracts.
Mayfield had the fifth-year option of his rookie deal exercised this spring but he’s eligible for an extension now.
“I’m in no rush because I’m just trying to win games,” Mayfield said Wednesday. “It’ll handle itself. I’m sure [agents] Tom and Jack Mills are handling that. I don’t try and feed too much into that because that’s wasting my time and energy and thought process on stuff that I’m not in control of right now, so I’m going to handle what I can control.”
The 2018 No. 1 pick in the draft isn’t the only one either.
Denzel Ward, selected fourth in 2018 and Nick Chubb, picked 35th overall in Round 2, are also in line for extensions this offseason.
Chubb is set to enter the final year of his rookie deal while Mayfield and Ward have two more seasons on theirs now that the options were picked up.
“Obviously those guys are tremendous teammates, all [of us] coming in here together around the same time, that would be very special,” Mayfield said. “That’s one of those things where I think everything happens for a reason. It’ll handle itself so [I’m] just worried about winning.
“As I told you guys when I was asked about the fifth-year option, it’s the same thought process for me and it’ll continue to be that way.”
While Mayfield has proven himself to be the long sought-after franchise quarterback, he could choose to wait until after the season. Another strong year and playoff appearance would boost the financial value of his next deal, and some believe he could bet on himself instead of signing this summer.
“I’ve bet on myself my whole life,” Mayfield said. “I’ve always taken it one day at a time, one play at a time and I’m not going to handle it any differently now.”
While the discussion about his long-term future with the Browns remains fodder for reporters and talk shows, Mayfield is intent on keeping his focus where he needs it to be – on the field.
“I think that everything happens for a reason,” Mayfield said. “I think the chips will fall where they’re supposed to. I’m concerned about winning and that’s what everybody in this building needs to be concerned with. It’s not saying that everybody is not, but the concern right now is winning and building a strong foundation for the season.”
Mayfield has been a perfect fit for the Browns, and their fans.
At the 2018 Combine he came out and said if there was anyone who could save the Browns from themselves it would be him.
He has done just that.
“The things I said even before the draft, right after the draft, Cleveland is a town that’s about work ethic, a blue-collar mentality,” Mayfield said. “That’s what I’ve always been about so I think that’s why it’s been a great match.”
Expectations for Mayfield and the Browns are sky high this year, as in Super Bowl.
Over the weekend at his charity softball game receiver Jarvis Landry said he and the team shouldn’t shy away from expectations, regardless of how taboo it might be to talk about them.
Mayfield agrees.
“I think everybody that plays this game is striving to be a champion,” Mayfield said. “If you’re not doing that, you’re in it for the wrong reasons. I’ve said that time and time again, you strive to win in everything you do and that’s the kind of culture we’ve been working on building. Building a culture is not easy, and that’s been a process, so we’re striving to continue building a winning culture.”
